Covering systems of the type in question are used in vehicles in order to close at least some sections of a rear storage space. This serves to protect against prying eyes, since the covering system prevents items of luggage and the like in the rear storage space from being able to be seen from the outside. Covering systems of the type in question usually have a flexible sheetlike structure which can generally be extended from a roller blind shaft and, in an extended functional position, covers most of the rear storage space. In the case of covering systems of the type in question, this flexible sheetlike structure is adjoined on the rear side by the largely dimensionally stable closing surface element which is usually designed as a contour part and is adapted to the contour of the rear storage space in the region of a loading flap. Said dimensionally stable closing surface element can be displaced vertically via guide rails which are provided on both sides in the side walls of the vehicle. This permits the covering system to be left in an extended functional state and nevertheless for unproblematic access to the luggage under the largely dimensionally stable closing surface element and the flexible sheetlike structure to be obtained. For this purpose, the largely dimensionally stable closing surface element is displaced upward by means of the guide devices, which are arranged in the guide rails, into the region of a vehicle roof lining.
The fact that, in this upper end position and with a corresponding rail profile, the closing surface element projects out of the rear storage space is considered a problem. When the loading flap is being closed, the closing surface element and the loading flap may therefore collide, which can lead to damage to the closing surface element and/or to the loading flap. This is particularly critical with regard to covering systems in which the vertical movability of the dimensionally stable closing surface element takes place in an automated manner, with the closing surface element automatically moving upward when the loading flap is opened. Such a system, which is not conceived for manual handling for the raising and lowering of the closing surface element, requires a specific initiation of the operation to lower the largely dimensionally stable closing surface element in order to be able only subsequently to close the loading flap.
It is therefore the object of the invention to develop a covering system of the type in question to the effect that the risk of damage to the largely dimensionally stable closing surface element during the closing of the loading flap is avoided.
According to the invention, this is achieved by a covering system of the type in question which is developed to the effect that at least one pivoting section of the closing surface element is designed such that it can be pivoted downward at least in the upper end position.
Pivotability downward is understood within the context of this invention as meaning that, when the closing surface element is in its upper end position, the pivoting section points further downward than in the state in which the closing surface element is in its lower end position. The effect achieved by the pivoting of the pivoting section downward is that a loading flap can be closed without damage to the pivoting section being caused in the process. It is particularly preferred if the pivoting section is formed by the entire closing surface element. In such a case, the closing surface element can be a fully dimensionally stable design. In the case of an embodiment with a separate pivoting section, the latter is of dimensionally stable design and can be pivoted in relation to a second section of the closing surface element. In this case, the pivoting section preferably takes up the predominant part of the closing surface element.
The covering system can be configured in such a manner that, in the upper end position, the pivoting section is pivoted downward without application of force by means of the dead weight of the pivoting section. In such a configuration, the pivoting section is pivoted downward as it were automatically in the upper end position of the closing surface element. As a result, during the closing of a loading flap, a damaging collision between the loading flap and the pivoting section does not occur. This configuration can be realized by the fact that the guide rails and the guide devices on the closing surface element side are designed in such a manner that they cause pivoting in the region of the upper end position in the manner of a forced guidance means.
In an alternative configuration, in the upper end position, the pivoting section can be pivoted downward by an application of force with a pivoting force which goes beyond the dead weight of the pivoting section and acts in the vertical direction of the vehicle. In such a configuration, if a pivoting force is absent the pivoting section is in the unpivoted state such that it may project through the open loading hatch. Only by application of force with the pivoting force is it folded away downward. This application of force takes place in the fitted situation in particular by means of the loading flap itself which, over the course of the closing operation, comes into touching contact with the pivoting section and, in the process, pivots it downward.
In the case of a configuration building thereon, in the upper end position, the pivoting section can be pivoted elastically such that the pivoting is maintained only for the duration of the application of force. This constitutes a particularly simple way of making it pivotable, since only elastic deflection means have to be provided in order to ensure the pivotability of the pivoting section. As soon as the pivoting force ceases, for example when the loading flap is opened or when the dimensionally stable closing surface element is lowered, the pivoting section passes back into its unpivoted state.
In a development of the invention, the pivoting section is pivoted or can be pivoted only in the upper end position. In this case, it is preferred if the pivoting section is oriented horizontally outside the upper end position. This permits the pivoting section to be used as a storage surface until it is transferred into the upper end position.
In a development of the invention, elastically deformable connecting means are provided between the pivoting section of the closing surface element and a non-pivotable section of the closing surface element. These elastically deformable connecting means ensure the pivotability and are simple to realize. In the simplest case, it involves one or more connecting webs made of an elastically deformable material, such as, for example, rubber. A connection between the pivoting section and the non-pivotable section via a hinge arrangement may likewise be expedient, with a spring element which keeps the pivoting section in its unpivoted position outside the upper end position additionally being provided. In the upper end position, said spring element is elastically deformed in the manner prescribed when a pivoting force is present, in order to permit pivoting of the pivoting section.
In a development of the invention, the guide rails and the guide device are co-ordinated with each other in such a manner that the closing surface element is pivoted in the upper end position. Accordingly, in the case of this configuration, the effect achieved by the shaping of the guide means in the region of the upper end position is that, in the upper end position, the closing surface element always automatically takes up the pivoted position irrespective of the opening state of the loading flap. Conceivable configurations provide that, for example by means of a spacing apart of the guide rails from each other in the transverse direction of the vehicle, which spacing apart changes in the direction of the upper end position, the guide devices are pressed toward each other during a movement in the direction of the upper end position and, according to the invention, influence the pivoting means of the closing surface element via a slotted guide mechanism. As an alternative, guide rails which become wider in the region of the upper end position can be provided, and therefore the guide devices, which are compulsorily guided with regard to their orientation by the guide rails in the region of the lower end position, can be rotated to a limited extent in said upper region such that the closing surface element is shifted in a pivoted position because of its weight. The use of guide rails with two guide tracks in each case may likewise be expedient, with each guide device engaging in the guide rails by means of in each case two sliding blocks such that the angular position of the entire dimensionally stable closing surface element can be influenced in a specific manner for each position of the dimensionally stable closing surface element by means of the position of the sliding blocks relative to each other.
In a development of the invention, the guide rails and/or guide devices can be deformed elastically in some sections in such a manner that the closing surface element can be pivoted in the upper end position. In the case of this configuration, sections are preferably provided in the guide rails, which sections, when a pivoting force acting on the closing surface element is not present, keep the guide devices in a first position and said sections, when a pivoting force is present, are deflected by the guide devices and, as a result, permit a pivoting movement of the guide devices, resulting in a pivoting of the closing surface element.
This can be configured in particular in such a manner that the guide rails have, at least in a region in which the guide devices are located when the closing surface element is in its upper end position, elastically deflectable sections, preferably spring tabs connected integrally to the guide rails.
The invention furthermore relates to a guide rail in a covering system in a vehicle, in particular for use in a covering system according to one of the preceding claims, with a first guide track for receiving a first guide body which is movable in the first guide track. According to the invention, a second guide track for receiving a second guide body which is movable in the second guide track is provided on said guide rail of the type in question, with the second guide track being offset in relation to the first guide track in an offset direction transversely with respect to the guide tracks, and the first guide track and the second guide track having a different profile, at least in some sections, with reference to a plane extending perpendicularly to the offset direction.
By means of such a design with two guide tracks in which a respective guide body engages, a defined guidance characteristic of a component guided by the guide bodies, in particular the dimensionally stable surface part, is ensured. The guide rail is decisive not only for the position of the guide bodies but also for the orientation of a component connected to the two guide bodies, since the path of the guide bodies in the guide rail can be defined in a specific manner separately by means of the different guide tracks. The guide tracks extend in mutually parallel planes, preferably in different planes. The offset direction which is essentially perpendicular to said planes preferably corresponds to a transverse direction of the vehicle.
The guide tracks are preferably directly adjacent to each other in the offset direction. As a result, the guide bodies can also merge directly one into the other such that the second guide body directly adjoins the first one. It is particularly preferred if the guide tracks are delimited by a common, integral guide rail component. This leads to a very simple assembly and to avoiding undesirable positional deviations between the two guide tracks.
In a development of the guide rails according to the invention, the latter run parallel to each other over their entire length. The effect achieved in the case of a configuration of this type is that the guide bodies must also always take up the same position relative to each other irrespective of their position in the guide tracks. This permits a component which is movable along the guide rail and always has the same orientation, in particular a horizontal orientation, irrespective of its position to be provided on the guide bodies. When a guide rail according to the invention is used in a covering system according to the invention, such a design with parallel guide tracks would be expedient in particular in conjunction with a largely dimensionally stable closing surface element which has a non-pivotable pivoting section and a pivoting section which is pivotable relative thereto.
In another refinement, one of the guide tracks is delimited by an elastically deflectable section which is arranged in such a manner that it can be deflected by the associated guide body. In this design, the profile of the guide tracks accordingly differs at least in that one of the guide tracks has, at least in the state with the deflected section, a profile which differs from the other guide track. The elastic design here ensures that the deflectable section takes up its deflected position only in the event of the occurrence of external forces which act on the guide bodies. This permits, for example, a yielding of a component connected to the guide bodies, in particular the dimensionally stable closing element, in order to avoid damage.
In one development of the invention, one guide track has a widened section, preferably at one end of the guide track. As soon as the associated guide body is located in said widened section, it has play to a limited extent, thus permitting pivoting of the component connected to the guide bodies about an axis defined by the other guide body. In this case, depending on the configuration of the component connected to the guide bodies, automatic pivoting also occurs under the influence of the weight of the component.
Furthermore, a guide rail of the type in question can also be designed in such a manner that the guide rail has an elastically deflectable section which is arranged in such a manner that, in the region of the deflectable section, the first guide body is rotatable about an axis of rotation, which runs perpendicularly to a direction of extent of the first guide track, counter to a spring force.
Furthermore, the invention relates to a vehicle with a rear storage space, wherein a covering system which is designed in the above described manner is provided in the rear storage space. In a particular configuration, the covering system is arranged in such a manner that, in its upper end position, the dimensionally stable closing surface element is in touching contact with a loading flap of the vehicle.